Located deep within the Santa Cruz Mountains, Butano State Park boasts a large redwood canyon with many miles of hiking trails as well as campsites. This state park is one of the quietest and least visited parks on the peninsula making a perfect place to escape the hustle of the Bay Area

Butano State Park is only accessible from the Pacific Coast Highway, also known as Highway One. If you are traveling from the North, turn onto Pescadero Creek Road follow it for 2.7 miles. After passing through the town, take a right onto Cloverdale Rd and follow it until you reach Butano State Park.

The park features many different hiking loop possibilities.

The Hike:

The Canyon Rim Route shows you all that Butano State Park has to offer from sweeping views to lush pockets of old growth redwoods. With barely any signs of development, this hike truly feels like a backcountry wilderness experience. To do this loop, connect the Jackson Flats, Canyon, Indian, Doe Ridge, and Goat Hill Trails. If you are feeling extra adventurous, take the Butano Fire Road trail at the end of the Canyon Trail to visit and abandoned Airstrip.

For more information visit the California State Park's website for Butano Park.